Golf club

• US 8,177,661 B2
• Filed: 11/28/2011
• Issued: 05/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Taylor Made Golf Co., Inc.
• Inventors: Sargent, Nathan, Willett, Kraig Alan, Hoffman, Joseph Henry, Beach, Todd P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): DENNIS, MICHAEL DAVID
• Application Number:
  US13/305,514
• Publication Number:
  US 20120071262A1
• Time in Patent Office: 169 Days
• Field of Search: 473/309
• US Class Current: 473/307
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2053/0491 with added weights, e.g. changeable, replaceable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0694 Visual indication, e.g. Indicia
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/02 with reinforcing fibres, e.g. carbon, polyamide fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/023 Long, oriented fibres, e.g. wound filaments, woven fabrics, mats
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/02 Joint structures between the head and the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/023 adjustable angular orientation
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/04 Heads
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0416 Heads having an impact surface provided by a face insert
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0425 the face insert comprising two or more different materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0433 with special sole configurations
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/045 Strengthening ribs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0454 Strengthening ribs on the rear surface of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0458 with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/047 iron-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0487 for putters A63B53/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/00 Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence

Abstract

A golf club comprises a shaft, a club head, and a connection assembly that allows the shaft to be easily disconnected from the club head. In particular embodiments, a sleeve including a top portion and a middle portion connected to the top portion is described. The middle portion includes a thin wall thickness. A bottom portion is connected to the middle portion including a plurality of engaging surfaces. A central longitudinal axis and an offset angle offset from the central longitudinal axis is described. The offset angle allows a maximum loft change of about 0.5 degrees to about 4.0 degrees. The total weight of the sleeve is less than 9 g.

Claims

1. A golf club comprising:

a golf club shaft;

a club head body comprising a striking face, a crown, a sole, and a hosel;

an adjustable head-shaft connection system comprising a sleeve and a screw, the sleeve being positioned within the hosel and configured to couple the shaft to the hosel in a plurality of different configurations relative to the body, the screw comprising an annular shoulder portion with a spherical surface and being insertable through the sole region of the body and configured to secure the sleeve and shaft to the body; and

at least two weights attachable to and removable from the body at a plurality of different positions relative to the body;

wherein the head-shaft connection system further comprises a tapered annular surface configured to contact the spherical surface of the screw when the screw is inserted through the sole region and securing the sleeve and shaft to the body, and wherein the spherical surface of the screw and the tapered annular surface are configured to make 360 degrees of contact with each other when the shaft and the hosel are coupled in any of the plurality of different configurations.

2. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the screw and the weights each comprise a head having the same internal drive feature.

3. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the hosel has an outer diameter that is less than about 15 mm.

4. The golf club of claim 3, wherein at least 50% of the crown has an areal weight between about 0.15 g/cm² and about 0.25 g/cm².

5. The golf club of claim 4, wherein the center of gravity of the golf club head has a Z-axis coordinate of less than or equal to about 0 mm.

6. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the head-shaft connection system further comprises a washer located between the annular shoulder portion of the screw and the sleeve.

7. The golf club of claim 6, wherein the head-shaft connection system further comprises a hosel insert located within the hosel and configured to engage the sleeve to couple the shaft to the hosel in the plurality of different configurations relative to the body.

8. The golf club of claim 7, wherein the washer has a first surface that engages the hosel insert and a second surface that engages the annular shoulder portion of the screw.

9. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the head-shaft connection system and the weights are adjustable using a single tool.

10. The golf club of claim 9, wherein the tool comprises a torque-limiting tool with a torque limit between about 30 inch-pounds and about 50 inch-pounds.

11. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the center of gravity of the golf club head has a Z-axis coordinate of less than or equal to about 0 mm.

12. The golf club of claim 1, wherein the at least two weights comprise at least two weight assemblies, the weight assemblies comprising a mass element and a weight assembly screw, wherein rotation of the weight assembly screw applies an extraction force on the mass element, such that the mass element is extractable from the club head body along with the weight assembly screw.

13. The golf club of claim 12, wherein each weight assembly further comprises a retaining element positioned around the weight assembly screw and engaged with the mass element, wherein rotation of the weight assembly screw applies an extraction force on an inner shoulder of the retaining element, which transfers the extraction force to the mass element.

14. A golf club comprising:

a golf club shaft;

a club head body comprising a striking face, a crown, a sole, and a hosel;

an adjustable head-shaft connection system comprising a sleeve and a screw, the sleeve being positioned within the hosel and configured to couple the shaft to the hosel in a plurality of different configurations relative to the body, the screw comprising an annular shoulder portion with an inclined surface and being insertable through the sole region of the body and configured to secure the sleeve and shaft to the body; and

at least two weights attachable to and removable from the body at a plurality of different positions relative to the body;

wherein the head-shaft connection system further comprises a washer having an inclined annular surface configured to contact the inclined surface of the screw when the screw is inserted through the sole region and securing the sleeve and shaft to the body, and wherein the inclined surface of the screw and the inclined annular surface of the washer are configured to make 360 degrees of contact with each other when the shaft and the hosel are coupled in any of the plurality of different configurations.

15. The golf club of claim 14, wherein the screw and the weights each comprise a head having the same internal drive feature.

16. The golf club of claim 14, wherein the hosel has an outer diameter that is less than about 15 mm.

17. The golf club of claim 16, wherein at least 50% of the crown has an areal weight between about 0.15 g/cm² and about 0.25 g/cm².

18. The golf club of claim 17, wherein the center of gravity of the golf club head has a Z-axis coordinate of less than or equal to about 0 mm.

19. The golf club of claim 14, wherein the washer is located between the annular shoulder portion of the screw and the sleeve.

20. The golf club of claim 19, wherein the head-shaft connection system further comprises a hosel insert located within the hosel and configured to engage the sleeve to couple the shaft to the hosel in the plurality of different configurations relative to the body.

21. The golf club of claim 20, wherein the washer has a flat surface on an opposite side of the washer from that of the inclined annular surface, and wherein the flat surface engages the hosel insert.

22. The golf club of claim 14, wherein the head-shaft connection system and the weights are adjustable using a single tool.

23. The golf club of claim 22, wherein the tool comprises a torque-limiting tool with a torque limit between about 30 inch-pounds and about 50 inch-pounds.

24. The golf club head of claim 14, wherein the center of gravity of the golf club head has a Z-axis coordinate of less than or equal to about 0 mm.

25. The golf club head of claim 14, wherein the at least two weights comprise at least two weight assemblies, the weight assemblies comprising a mass element and a weight assembly screw, wherein rotation of the weight assembly screw applies an extraction force on the mass element, such that the mass element is extractable from the club head body along with the weight assembly screw.

26. The golf club of claim 25, wherein each weight assembly further comprises a retaining element positioned around the weight assembly screw and engaged with the mass element, wherein rotation of the weight assembly screw applies an extraction force on an inner shoulder of the retaining element, which transfers the extraction force to the mass element.